Customer Effort Score

The method is based on the principle that customers are more loyal when they don't have to make much effort to use a product or service. The simpler and smoother a customer interaction is, the greater the chance that a customer will return. CES is therefore often used by organizations that want to optimize their customer processes and remove barriers in the customer journey.

How does Customer Effort Score work?

The Customer Effort Score is measured at the touchpoint level and asks customers a simple question: How much effort did it take to complete a specific task? This could involve solving a problem through customer service, completing a purchase, or following a training course. Respondents rate their answer on a 5-point scale, where a low score means the process was effortless and a high score indicates a cumbersome or frustrating experience.

By using CES at various touchpoints within the customer journey, you gain a detailed picture of where improvements are needed. This makes it a practical and actionable metric that can be applied directly at the operational level.

What are the benefits of the Customer Effort Score?

The Customer Effort Score helps organizations make customer processes more effective and user-friendly. A low CES score indicates smooth processes and a positive customer experience, while a high score indicates where barriers exist.

By analyzing CES results, you can:

1. Identify bottlenecks in the customer journey – Discover where customers experience unnecessary difficulties.
2. Implement targeted improvements – Optimize specific touchpoints and reduce friction.
3. Increase customer loyalty – Less effort leads to higher customer satisfaction and repeat purchases.

Why choose the Customer Effort Score?

The Customer Effort Score is an effective method for organizations that want to work in a customer-focused way and continuously improve their processes. Unlike broader satisfaction measurements such as NPS or CSAT, CES focuses on specific interactions, allowing you to take immediate action and implement improvements.

A major advantage of CES is that it not only provides insight into how satisfied customers are, but also why. By identifying which aspects of a customer process are perceived as cumbersome or complex, you can make strategic decisions that structurally improve the customer experience.

With CES, you put user-friendliness first and ensure that customers can communicate with your organization effortlessly. A simple but powerful way to optimize the customer experience and strengthen loyalty.